Supplements for keeping cholesterol levels down ?

I have been using a Phytosterol Complex that I have been sending away for for quite some time and someone had mentioned on a review that it contained Titanium Dioxide for color ( or should i say lack of it). I think it makes it white. What I read when I Googled was that it could POSSIBLY be linked to Cancer. So, I just sediced not buy any more of that kind.

Does anyone have a good supplement that they have been using that helps to keep cholesterol levels down. Both mine and Dh's have been pretty good but hs has more of a problem than I do with keeping his balance between the LDL and the HDL. He needed to get his LDL up and HDL down. I hope I didn't get it backwards. DH loves his meat so we are trying to lower our meat consumption, at least some and eat more chicken or fish.

Jam - Do you use anything at all for cholesterol??? I will be getting very low soon and will need to order something from somewhere and I am looking for some good ideas on supplements that ate not sky high.

I found a few possiblities from VC that you use Jam. Not sure if I can mention on the PH site.

Also, where do you get you GSE? I may continue to get mine at the same place, not sure. I think it has OK ingredients in it.

Did you say you were taking it. Since I have starated on it, actually a couple of months after I lost about 5-6 lbs. not that I was really trying to, and also noticed that my b/p seems to be more stabale and lower. Not that it doesn't spike from time to time. Also I am thinking it takes awhile to really get into your system. Also, I started taking it, after while after I get up to go to the rest room , towards morning.

If you are taking it, did you niice any great improvements after awhile? Not sure I feel a whole lot better but weight loss and lower b/p was sure nice. Sorry to change this threat around !!

I have never needed to lose weight my whole life. I have always been skinny but the last 5-10 years I garined aboaut 10-15 lobs (of course in the wrong places). I really didn't need to lose much as I really was a big underweight. The only part that bugged me was my tummy and my slacks didn;t fit unless they had some elastic in them. It's not bad, eight about 125 now.

My weight gain was possibly somehwat medication and somewhat loss of the activities I once did and less now.

Hi Stick - Yes it is and it seemed to do pretty well for my husband years ago. Then I heard that one should not really be on it for that long. So, he then went to Phytosterol complex for awhile and then saw something was an additive in it that I thought that should not have been in there. I forget the name of it now. I think it was to make the caps white or something,

So I have been looking around. May start up again on the Policosenal ! Thanks for your post.

Hope all is well with you! I wanted to let you know that I've been taking 4 grams of fish oil as well and 2000 mg of flaxseed oil per day for my cholesterol levels and have been doing so for several years. I believe they have been helpful. As you know, always check with a doctor before starting any new supplements.

My overall cholesterol runs high, and so does my HDL (the good cholesterol). My overall cholesterol used to be much higher, so I know the supplements have helped. I always think of the HDL as "happy" cholesterol and the LDL as the "lousy" cholesterol to help keep it straight. My tryglcerides levels doubled in a year for some reason, which shocked me because I eat so healthy and exercise every day, so I don't know what's going on there. I'm seeing a cardiologist today as a precaution (I also have heart issues that run in my family) to get her take on it.

I will ask my cardiologist if she recommends any other supplements for cholesterol control and report back to you with what she says.

Thanks for your information. We already are taking fish oil but not sure how much in grams...... I also have to checkout flaxseed oil. I didn;t know about that. I had heard about flaxseed but not the oil. I was thinking about policholsenol (sp) which my husband took for some etime. So far mine has all been good but he has a problem with his HDL, not enough. . How often do you take your Flaxseed Oil and Fish oil

Let me now what your doc says. Actually I usually end up telling the doctor after the fact. However, she or he has never said anything about it I usually check out alot of stuff anyway. I also have a medical background but didn't work in it very long due to my 5 children at that time.

My pleasure to help! My cardiologist appt yesterday afternoon went well; thank you so much for asking. She is ordering some follow-up tests and wants to watch my tryglceride levels, but nothing seems urgent or too troubling at this time, which is great.

There are so many supplement options aren't there? I asked her what she thought about supplements and heart health and as well as if she takes any. Interestingly, she doesn't take any at all, which surprised me. She said she tried Reservatol once because her daughter sent her some. I specifically asked her about all of the supplements I saw listed here too. She had heard of all of them except the policosenol.

*She did say to be very careful with red yeast rice because it acts as a statin. If one doesn't need a statin, it's not something one should take. It also has the same side effect profile of statins.

Re: the fish oil and flaxseed oil, I take the fish oil at night because that's when the body makes the most cholesterol. A pharmacist told me that. I take the flaxseed oil caps with dinner. I can't remember why. I think a pharmacist suggested that would be the best time. My internal medicine doc and an endocrinologist I saw both liked that I take these two supplements.

Even though my cardiologist isn't "gung-ho" on supplements for cholesterol reduction, I don't agree with her because I've seen direct results. Obviously, I'd stay away from the red yeast rice, but I think other supplements can be very helpful. I think the fish oil is wonderful because it also helps with joint support too. I'm glad you're already taking it. You probably know this, but in case you don't: if you want to raise the amount of fish oil you take, make sure your doc says it's ok b/c it can thin out the blood.

It will probably take some experimentation to discover what additional supplement(s) will work best for you. Hope this helps more than it confuses and that you and your hubby find the best options!

As I have already mention, we already take the Fish OIl You said you take it with dinner (do you mean at night with dinner/supper)? and to take the Fish Oil at night ( before bedtime or sometime after dinner/supper? I got a littleonfused with that. I bought some today at the store, the Flaxseed Oil so will try it soon.

I already had heard about the Red Yeast Rice and that is why I took him off it although it did work.

Yes, some docs are not that much into it but I know some of these things work, if by themselves or in combo with something else.

I have been trying all kinds of stuff along with my b/p meds ti try and lower it without as much drugs.. I know I cannot get completely off them ever but in trying to help my bone density and increasing my magnesium, it helped my bowels,and I think helped lower my blood pressure (the increased Mg. and possibly along with the Armour Thyroid I started not to long ago). My b/p likes to spike. It has been great at home now and maybe the diastolic is a little low (in the 60's). So perhaps later on I can lower one of the meds strength.

Thanks again so much for your help and please clarify when you are taking your Fish Oil. I was thinking before reading your post to take one at morning after breakfast and the other after dinner. However, your way may be better unless you eat heavy breaksfasts which we do not. Most of the time we have cheerios with fruit and 2% milk and I have yogurt. Once ina blue moon we have eggs, etc.

Yes, everyone is different and meds as well as supps., work better for some people than others.

Sorry for the confusion. I take the fish oil about 15 to 30 minutes before bed-time, at around 9:30 or so. A pharmacist I trust told me that our bodies naturally make cholesterol late in the evening, so therefore, it makes the most sense to take the fish oil at that time. I've been taking the fish oil at approx. that time for several years now.

A few years later, I decided to add the flaxseed oil caps. The pharmacist recommended taking those at dinner-time. I eat early, around 5:30pm or so. I think she thought it would be too many supplements at once to also take the flaxseed caps at bedtime with the fish oil. I can't remember the precise reasoning any more, but it seems to be working fine.

There's the cholesterol our bodies naturally make, and the cholesterol we get through food. Again, the theory behind taking the fish oil at bed-time (and apparently the later the better, i.e., bedtime) is because our bodies are somehow making cholesterol at that time and the fish oil can directly counteract it. Kind of fascinating.

What you say makes sense to me. I can do that but wonder if DH will do it when I tell him too. However, he souldnt have a problem since he doesn;t take anything before bed anyhow or close to that time. I have lots of stuff to try and take at the same time.

I think I was going to mention something else but DH is calling and I need to get out there and start dinner.

Yes, you make perfect sense wanting to know if the fish oil is directly helping with my cholesterol numbers. I've been taking the fish oil for about six or seven years. What I remember the most is that it helped lower my overall (total) cholesterol number quite a bit, from about 260 or so to 210!!! It may have helped my LDL too, but I just can't remember. It was never in a higher than normal range, so that doesn't stand out for me right now.

My HDL seems to be affected the most by my exercise and the amount of vegetables I eat, which have increased quite a bit. My HDL is in a very high normal range. It didn't used to be this high until I started exercising every day and eating 5 servings of vegetables every day. (I also eat 3 fruits every day) I'm sure that this also affects the overall number too.

While I have never been unhealthy, my diet and exercise habits have gradually gotten better each year. As I've gotten a littler older (I'm 42), my LDL and tryglercides are not as good as they used to be, which is a bit frustrating. The high HDL number is supposed to help counteract the high LDL number. The LDL is "high normal" but still ok and the tryglercides right now are a little out of the normal range, and the doctors want to watch them. The tryglceride number is going to be re-tested. Sometimes there are lab errors (hopefully that was it, and hopefully too it's not higher when it's retested!)

With so many different factors involved (age, heredity, diet, exercise, supplements), it's hard to know precisely how much the fish oil plays a part exactly at this moment. The most obvious thing was the first year I took it and seeing the overall cholesterol number drop quite a bit, so I will definitely keep taking that fish oil. I strongly feel that the fish oil is helping to keep the total cholesterol number in check if it helped so much when I first started taking it.

I know you didn't ask about the flaxseed oil caps, but here is some info in case it helps. With the flaxseed oil caps, my cholesterol numbers stayed pretty much the same for a few years as I've aged. They could have gone up. Whether that's a direct result of the flaxseed oil caps (and fish oil caps too), it's of course hard to gauge. I like the flaxseed oil caps as well though because of the joint support (always great for fibro) and because it's good nutritionally as well.

The research out on flaxseed indicates that it is good in fighting heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, diabetes, etc. It's a plant food full of antioxidants and omega 3s. It's not pricey either. That was my reasoning at the time for taking it. If possible, I like taking supplements that can help our bodies with other things too because there are so many supplement options.

I have so much going on right now I can't stay to chat but I appreciate all you have given. My problem may be to be able to get my husband ti take something beforfe he goes to bed. He just like to take them all and then be done with it.

Noi, I was surpised to see the big bottle in WM of Flaxseed Oil. It had the right amount and was a good price and said cold pressed . I THINK the brand was Natures Made or womething like that. Sounded like a pretty good brand to me. I am so used to juggling my meds at certain times including my Strontiunm Citrate (osteoporosis) that I take in the middle of the night. Take my thyroid before arising, it is right by my bed. Then take most of the other stuff with breakfast.

Glad to try to help! Cold-pressed flaxseed oil is excellent; I think it helps to get rid of any potential impurities. I always get the cold-pressed kind.

I wish I could give you a definitive "noticed a definite difference" re: the flaxseed oil, but there's so many other factors that affect cholesterol. This is what I wrote in my last post:

"I know you didn't ask about the flaxseed oil caps, but here is some info in case it helps. With the flaxseed oil caps, my cholesterol numbers stayed pretty much the same for a few years as I've aged. They could have gone up. Whether that's a direct result of the flaxseed oil caps (and fish oil caps too), it's of course hard to gauge. I like the flaxseed oil caps as well though because of the joint support (always great for fibro) and because it's good nutritionally as well.

The research out on flaxseed indicates that it is good in fighting heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, diabetes, etc. It's a plant food full of antioxidants and omega 3s. It's not pricey either. That was my reasoning at the time for taking it. If possible, I like taking supplements that can help our bodies with other things too because there are so many supplement options."

Yes, it is great if you can find something that helps in more than one area, like the Magnesium citrate for me. If you wish to please check Dianes message in another thread on here abouat choldesterol. She was speaking about Constipation ( on a triglycerides threat or something related) and I told her that the mag. is good for constipation as well as bone density and also stabilizing blood pressure for me. As you said we are all different though.

If you wish check out "Confused in PA's " thread where she mentions her constipation along with everything else related to drugs and supps..

Could you please tell me more about the magnesium citrate? Does the "citrate" form of it do something special? I'm considering adding magnesium to help prevent these funky migraines that I get a few times a year. The doctors I've seen (neurologist and opthamologist) can't classify the migraines into the normal variety, so they call them a "hybrid". I get terrible light sensitivity and nausea but no headache. I have light sensitivity anyway, but with these migraines, it's tremendously worse.

I'll check out Diane's thread too if you already discussed this specifically. I posted to her there with some feedback I had on cholesterol but will look for your responses there also. Thanks!

There are many types of magnesium and as I understand it magnesium is very good for the bones and I have osteoporosisi. I think you are supposed to take about 1/2 the amount of mag. than Calcium (more or less). That is supposed to help the Calcium absorb better into the bones. I think Mag. Citrate is one of the better forms (helps the Ca. absorbs better). Mag oxide is the cheapaest type. It is not supposed to be as good according to some but it is cheaper and I have a bunch to use up. I bought a bunch of Mag. citrate and when I got it found they were so big, and hard for me to take. So, usually in the afternoon after lunch I crind up my 2 200 mg. caplets and grind or crush them so I can stick them in some applesausce or yogurt.

I started out using the Mag citrate powder that dissolves in water and makes like a fizzy drink, not bad tasting but gave me a lotof gas. So after awhile I gave up on that and went to the pills or caplets. I have found it helps with constipation, whcih is supposed to be good for that but I just found out about it. I have had constipation all my life. I am hoping to be able to find some mag. citrate capsules after I use up all my hard mega caplets

I also found out that while taking more Mag. Citrate (and oxide) this has helped my blood pressure to get lower and more stable. Not sure if it is just the mag. or the Armour Thyroid that I started taking not to long ago instead of Synthroid. I have not heard anything in particular about it helping headaches/migraines but perhaps someone else here might know more about that.

Let me know if I can help any more. I wish I knew more about magnesium and migraines. It seems to do alot of things and helps muscles too, I believe.

Good luck and I hope you can find out more about it and if it can help you. I surely do hope so . If I find out anything I will let you know. Have you tried googling Magnesium and migraine headaches or just headaches? Hope I have been of some help !!